It can be tempting to try to avoid paying realtor commissions by selling your home on your own. Is it worth it? I recently went through an experience with my parents who did this. I will tell you one thing for sure. It is a lot of work. You have to have a lot of confidence to be able to pull it off and there is a lot you need to know. It was a very stressful time but we did end up selling for full asking price. After going through that experience however I have vowed that I will never try to sell my home on my own. I say that now but let’s see if I stick to it when the time comes. Those real estate commissions can be tempting to want to avoid. What has your experience been selling your own home? Would you do it again?
My dad used to be a real estate agent after he retired, and he told me that selling a home is also hard, and the people that he sold homes to also asked for a comission because they are acquaintances. I have no idea how hard it is to sell a home because I haven't done it yet, but I think if you can manage to do it on your own then why not, right? You can definitely use the money that you're gonna pay for an agent, so it won't hurt to try.
Having sold both ways quite a number of times - I would definitely agree that selling without the aid of an agent - is extremely time consuming, way, way more stressful and not always quite as simple as it sounds. Which is why - although it is very possible to sell a house without the aid of an Agent and there are pluses and minuses to both ways - I would just say - as selling a property is normally a stressful affair at the best of times - it is worth bearing in mind when choosing to sell without the aid of an Agent - that not only will the process be way more stressful and extremely time consuming - meaning its the equivalent of having a full-time job - but more importantly - whether or not it will be successful - is very dependent on marketing and negotiating skills - together with how saleable a property is and how much time can be devoted to selling it. Whereas selling via an Agent - although there is a price to pay for the service - as they usually have the necessary skills and the ability to give the property greater exposure - it is generally a whole lot less stressful and certainly less time consuming - particularly as - not only will the Agents deal with all potential buyers and negotiate a good deal - but will in some cases - even show the potential buyers round - leaving the seller only responsible for keeping the property in an appealing and view-able state So whether its worth it - I think very much depends on the property, the person selling and of course how much time they have available.
While saving the money you would have paid the real estate agent could be enticing [let's be honest, who doesn't want to save money?] odds are you'll sell the home/house but won't get as much money [for it] as the real estate agent would have got. Technically you wouldn't make more profits or save any money. So why not just hire a real estate agent and let them do all the hard work?
I wonder if it's possible to have the best of both worlds? If you're a capable, energetic person with a lot of contacts, maybe it would be possible to work out a deal with a real estate agent wherein you would take on certain tasks that s/he would normally do, and receive a discount on the commission in this way? Perhaps some agents would consider doing this with the right seller?
My mother is going the DIY route. It's a lot of work. Realtors have access to resources that she doesn't have, but she is too cheap. Plus, she is driving me crazy. I would never sell my own home. I would pay someone to take care of everything for me.
